


Finding Their Way

by sassy_cissa



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson Friendship, Established Relationship, Helpful Narcissa Malfoy, M/M, Married Couple, Out of his element Harry, Post Mpreg, Pregnant Draco Malfoy, Supportive Narcissa Black Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:14:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24828130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassy_cissa/pseuds/sassy_cissa
Summary: "Draco Malfoy-Potter!" Harry snapped softly. "Stop it right now. For the love of god, I manage an entire Auror division. I organise ops that involve coordinating scads of personnel." He glared at his spouse. "I'm damn sure I can manage to give our daughter her bottle at six, her bath at seven and have her in bed by half-seven."Or the one where their daughter gets the best of Harry and help comes from an unexpected ally.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 19
Kudos: 566
Collections: HD Mpreg 2020





	Finding Their Way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [meandminniemcg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/meandminniemcg/gifts).



> As always, oodles of thanks to O for her support, love and generally just living in my brain and making what I do actually readable. Not to mention planning and plotting. To L for the brilliant second beta and Brit pick and for listening me say countless times: _not sure I have this right_.  
> This story grew from a prompt that was left on the drarry discord _prompts-free-to-write_ channel by meandminniemcg. Tons of thanks to her for allowing me to play with the prompt. I dedicate it to her with love. ♥

Harry stood at the bottom of the stairs, rocking slightly and cooing to the baby in his arms. "Why yes, Dumpling, Papa is going to be very late for his lunch with Auntie Pansy." He heard Draco coming down the stairs, but ignored him in favour of continuing. "What was that?" He leaned closer to the baby as if she was actually speaking to him. "Oh I'm not sure I should be the one to tell him Auntie Pansy has already Floo-called three times looking for him." Harry lifted the bundle to his shoulder. "Yes, Dumpling, she certainly was more and more strident with each call."

"Oh, you're just a barrel of laughs," Draco drawled. "And stop calling her Dumpling. Her name is Clare, for Merlin's sake. She's not something you put in your stew." He stopped and kissed the back of the baby's head as he passed. "And your Auntie Pansy is a shrew. Best you learn that now."

He stopped. "Harry are you quite certain that you'll be all right here. Alone." He bit on his lower lip. He'd delivered Clare not quite three months before and this was the first time he'd left her since. "You know what? I'll just call Pansy and reschedule." Draco nodded to himself. "Yes, that's what I'll do, I'll reschedule."

"Draco Malfoy-Potter!" Harry snapped softly. "Stop it right now. For the love of god, I manage an entire Auror division. I organise ops that involve coordinating scads of personnel." He glared at his spouse. "I'm damn sure I can manage to give our daughter her bottle at six, her bath at seven and have her in bed by half-seven. I'm not a moron!"

Draco scrubbed his hands over his face. "I never said you were a moron. It's just…" He sighed. "You don't know how much work it is. How demanding she can be. I just think…"

Harry handed Draco his winter cloak off the coat rack. "And I think you'd best get out of here before you truly piss me off. This isn't the first time I've taken care of Clare."

As Draco slid the cloak on, the fireplace flared green and the unmistakable sound of Pansy's voice rang through the room. "I swear on my Jimmy Choo's if your ass is not in my flat in the next five minutes…"

Harry laughed and followed Draco into the living room. "I've been trying to throw him out the door, Pans, honest."

At the same time Draco said, "Language, Parkinson. My daughter does not need…"

Harry gave Draco a push. "Get back, Pansy. I'm shoving him through." Draco only had time for a quick glare before Harry called out, "Pansy's flat," and pushed Draco into the green flames. 

As Harry sat down on the couch and smiled into the baby's face, he was fairly certain he'd heard Draco shouting something about twisting his balls off, but that was only speculation.

HPDMHPDM

"We're going to have a good time together, aren't we, Dumpling?" Harry smiled down at his daughter. Her eyelids seemed to be fluttering heavily and he was certain she was going to take a quick nap before her bottle. Perfect, he thought. I can tune in a bit of the footy match on the telly. Cautiously reaching for the remote, his fingers wrapped around it and Clare's eyes popped open.

"So you want all of daddy's attention, do you?" Harry murmured. At that Clare's face scrunched and she began to cry. "Oh, um…so much for that plan." He got to his feet and began to walk and rock her as he'd seen Draco do when she was fussy. 

After a few minutes, Harry was beginning to worry as Clare's face was a brilliant shade of red and her sobs were breaking his heart. "What's the matter, sweetheart? Are you hungry already?" He turned toward the kitchen. "We'll just get you a bottle and everything will be fine."

Pulling a bottle from the warming tray, and not for the first time Harry was so happy to be a wizard and to have the bottles always ready and at their fingertips, he touched the nipple to Clare's mouth. Her tiny lips latched on and she began sucking as if her life depended on it. Which Harry mused, it did. Feeling quite pleased that he'd been able determine what his daughter needed, Harry sat on the couch. 

When the bottle was about half empty, Harry gently pulled it out and adjusted Clare up to his shoulder. He began to rub and pat her back, waiting for that lady-like burp. When Clare gave a small, delicate belch, Harry shifted her back into his arms and let her finish the bottle. Finally the bottle was empty, and Harry began to move her up to his shoulder as he'd done before. He was holding her under her little arms, facing him and was just about to kiss her tiny nose when that little nose wrinkled and she spewed everywhere. Harry went still, silently horrified; he had baby vomit on his face, his shirt and he was pretty sure it had gone inside his shirt and was dripping down his chest. Not to mention the blob next to him on the back of the couch.

Harry wanted to gag, but then he looked at Clare. She was now cooing and smiling at him. How could he be upset when his beautiful daughter was so damn happy? He stood slowly, closing his eyes at the sensation of slimy goo sliding down his body to pool at his waist. He tried to not think of the last time he'd been covered in some sort of _mess_. But of course, his brain went right to the night he and Draco had enjoyed a jar of chocolate body paint and the inventive ways they used to remove their _paintings_. Giving himself a mental shake, he slowly walked upstairs to the bath. He gently laid Clair on the rug and stepped out of his wet, smelly clothes, then turned on the shower. "I think a quick shower for us both is in order, young lady," Harry said, stripping Clare of her tiny sleeper. "Come on you, little troublemaker." Clare gave a little pout. "Let's rinse off and find you something clean to wear. I'll clean up the couch before your Papa gets home."

He picked Clare up, noticing she calmed when she was placed against his bare skin. "So that's the trick, huh? I'll keep that in mind for when we're done." He stepped slowly into the walk-in shower. Right before Clare was born, they remodelled the bath putting in a nice deep tub and a walk-in shower with a gentle rain style shower-head along with the traditional style. It was perfect for a quick rinse like tonight. He held Clare so only her back was under the rainfall spray and gave them both a good rinse. Sitting on the bench at the back of the stall, he used a tiny bit of soap to clean off the smell. He figured when it ran down her, he'd get about as much of a wash as he was going to have right now. 

He dried her gently with one of Draco's thick white towels, constantly warmed by a very clever household spell that Harry teased him about regularly. Although right now it felt lovely against his skin, and Clare seemed to agree. She made soft, contented sounds, and Harry smiled down at her as he laid her, happily naked, in the middle of their large bed, fluffy pillows on each side of her chubby body. He knew she was too young to roll, but he still felt better with her blocked from even the possibility. He pulled on a thread bare Gryffindor tee shirt and a pair of tartan plaid pyjama pants, choosing to go commando rather than take the time for pants. When he picked Clare up, she turned her tiny face against his cheek and he wondered if his five o'clock shadow was too coarse for tender skin. She didn't seem to mind, cooing softly, and he held her carefully. His hands always felt huge on her small body, and her little bum nestled in the palm of his hand as he turned to make his way to the nursery. He'd taken all of three steps when warmth flowed over his fingers and down his stomach, and he grimaced when pee soaked his waist and dripped from his hand. 

"Oh, lovely," he groaned. "Christening Daddy, then, are you? I guess I can only be grateful you didn't choose to christen Papa's down comforter. Fuck," he muttered under his breath, looking around for a place to put her, no longer trusting the towel to be enough protection between her and the bed. Finally he decided on the thick carpeting in front of their fireplace and wrapped the towel around her, then stood to yank his clothes off, letting them fall to the top of his hamper in the corner. Draco had always insisted on his own hamper, the fussy git. His, an exact match for Harry's, was neatly closed on the other side of the armoire while Harry's dirty laundry seemed to multiply all on its own and spilled out over the top. He decided he'd deal with that as soon as Clare was in bed. 

This time instead of taking a shower, Harry performed a quick cleansing spell over his front and hands, then summoned clothes from their chest of drawers inside the armoire. It took several seconds before he heard a drawer yank open, as if it had been stuck. Moments later a pair of boxers flew into his hand, and he looked down at them with a groan. If this was all that was left of his casual clothes that were clean, he truly had passed the point where his laundry was out of control. The fabric of these pants was inexpensive, completely unlike the ones Draco had got him used to, and thin enough that the black curls at the base of his cock showed quite clearly through the coarse material. The pants were white, and printed over them were lurid green shamrocks, accompanied by the words 'Suck me, I'm Irish'. They'd been a gift from Seamus for his groomsmen when he'd married Dean in Dublin, and were about all Harry remembered from those three days. He exhaled in exasperation and stepped into them, yanking them up to his waist. He could wear something of Draco's, he supposed, but knew if he did he'd never hear the end of it; he seemed to remember Draco bitching about that for several days in the past.

He bent to carefully collect his daughter from the floor just as she was beginning to make unhappy, fussy little sounds. Walking quickly into the nursery, he lay her on top of the white Queen Anne style changing table and lifted her bum to place the disposable diaper beneath her. Both Molly and Narcissa had been scandalized by their choice to use Muggle diapers, but Hermione had won that argument when she told Draco the unique, ‘baby shite green' colour never completely came out of the white fabric diapers. That was apparently enough to convince Draco, who wrinkled his nose and announced that ‘his daughter was not going to be wearing dingy, stained nappies. Harry just found the idea of rinsing, washing and reusing diapers kind of gross. Rolling them up and throwing them away made a whole lot more sense to him; plus, he knew that no matter what spells Ron and Hermione used on the hamper with the wet cloth diapers in it, it always seemed to reek.

As he was fastening the tapes around her waist, he looked down to find Clare staring up at him, wide grey eyes fixed on his face, perfect little bow lips parted in a slight smile. Her stomach made a small, grumbly sound. 

"Ah, are you hungry, sweetheart?" She smacked her lips, tiny arms waving as he fastened the pink and white patterned sleeper down her legs. She'd spit up nearly her entire first bottle, so she probably was hungry, but did he give her another bottle so soon? He knew Draco had left three bottles in the warmer on the kitchen counter, spelled to a perfect temp, just waiting to be given to her. But he wasn't sure if he should give it to her now, a wait a bit. He bit his lip, glancing toward the bedroom door. He wouldn't call Draco, even though he'd promised he would if he had any questions. Maybe Hermione...the decision was made for him when she began to fuss, a thin, irritable sound. 

"Right then; bottle it is." 

He lifted her up against his shoulder and her cries became more insistent. 

"All right, sweetheart. Papa is going as fast as he can." That apparently wasn't good enough, however, and she arched her back, going from slightly discontent to furious in seconds. She had amazing lungs, this one, and Harry winced away from the screaming next to his ear. One of her hands curled in the black chest hair on his right pec, and she pulled, _hard_. "Oh, fuck me," he said before he could think better of it. He usually tried to keep the swearing to a minimum when he was holding her, but the pain took him so completely by surprise he hadn't had time to monitor his mouth. He couldn't even rub the spot, encumbered as he was with an armful of baby. "Clare," he said, rubbing a circle on her narrow back, "your Papa likes my chest hair, because he hasn't got much of his own. If you don't want to explain to him were a patch of my admittedly sparse chest hair went, you won't be yanking it out." She wasn't impressed, and bumped her hard-little head against his chin.

"Okay, okay. _Accio bottle_."

He realized his mistake moments later when he heard a loud crash near the top of the stairs. Hurrying towards the sound with the angry baby struggling in his arms and squealing at the top of her lungs, he stared in dismay at the large splatter and wet spot on the wall. Apparently when the warmer hit the wall the tops of all three bottles popped off, soaking the wall and sliding down to create a puddle on the landing. The warmer itself was lying pitifully in a twisted mess on the landing. 

"Christ on a crutch," Harry muttered when he remembered Draco had reminded him there was no more formula made up. So cock-sure of himself, Harry had waved at Draco as he went downstairs with Clare, calling out a cheery, 'I can do a bottle, you know.' Right then, he wasn't sure he could make it down the stairs with the thrashing infant in his arms, let alone mix up a bottle while he held her.

HPDMHPDM

Draco followed Pansy into the dining room of 114 Faubourg at the Bristol Hotel. "You never said we were going all the way to Paris!" Draco hissed at Pansy's back, for the third time since they'd landed in the Port Key office. "Damnit! I can't be this far from home."

Pansy ignored him, choosing instead to give the maître d a winning smile. "Reservation for two for Parkinson."

After being assured their table would be ready in a moment, Pansy turned to Draco. "I never said it wasn't in Paris either. Merlin's saggy balls, Draco. You're not _that far_ from home." She gave him a poke in the chest. "Besides, it's time for you to get out of that house. My god, you're even starting to smell like baby powder." She sniffed his neck. "I much prefer the Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot you used to wear."

"Bitch," Draco hissed as they were being led to their table. "I do not smell like a baby, for fuck's sake. And if I did, it wouldn't be that terrible. I'm a father. I have a baby." His tone became defensive. "And I like the way Clare smells, all clean and fresh."

"Funny," Pansy shot back, sitting in her chair and crossing her long legs, "it seems like every time I've been over you've both actually smelled a bit like sour milk with an undertone of unclean diaper."

Draco's mouth dropped open. "You horrid cow. You take that back! My daughter and I do not smell like an unclean diaper!"

Pansy smiled, tilting her head in a _got you there_ gesture. "I managed to get you to stop thinking about how Potter's doing with the baby for a minute, didn't it?" Her face softened. "Besides, I'm just getting back at you for you telling my god daughter I'm a shrew. Don't think I didn't have that connection open in case you tried to change your mind." She pouted. "But it's not just that, I miss our dinners together, Draco."

Draco reached over and took Pansy's hand. "I do too, old thing. But life is different now." At her glare, he smiled. "Let me finish…things are different, but you're right I do need to take time for friends and dinners together. But for the love of all that's holy, can we not do it in Paris?"

Rolling her eyes, she nodded. "You do realize I could have taken you a million other places…many of them not even on this continent." 

Draco gasped. "You'd never…"

"Morgana's tits, Draco, calm down. Fine, I'd never. Probably." She looked at her friend and shook her head slowly. "Good lord, you've become so domesticated I may vomit. And that would be a shame because the food here is magnifique, and I, for one, intend to enjoy every morceau." 

Draco laughed at her horrible French accent. "I'm going to need a glass of wine if you're going to continue to butcher the French language in my presence."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "And he's back." She gave him a speculative look. "Although I'm not sure I did the world any favours with that."

Draco scoffed but his tone was playful. "Bitch. You're simply jealous because I'm happily married. Oh, and getting laid regularly." 

"Darling, you can keep your domestic bliss. And as for the regular sex…well you have been out of the loop, haven't you?" She grinned slyly. 

Draco's eyes grew large, then narrowed. "Nice try, darling. You actually almost had me there. But if you were getting laid with any regularity, you'd not have a stress pimple on your temple. It's always a tell about your love life."

Pansy nearly shrieked and pulled out her compact, whipping it open and checking her face. "You absolute bastard. That was not funny."

Draco was nearly doubled over as he struggled to keep his laughter under control. They were in a Michelin star rated restaurant, after all. He sat up and dabbed at his eyes with his napkin. "Oh it really was. Quite funny in fact and it served you right." 

Luckily for them both, the waiter chose that moment to arrive and take their orders.

HPDMHPDM

Harry rocked from side to side, trying to calm his distraught daughter. "I know, sweetheart, I know. Daddy's sorry he ruined the bottles. But I can't go down and make any if you keep twisting like that." He tried to pat the arching back while holding her head to made sure she didn't flip out of his arms. "I can't call your Papa. He'd never let me live this down. Please stop crying."

In near desperation, Harry mentally ran down the list of who he might contact for help. Hermione was out…he loved her madly but she'd have to tell Ron and then the entire Weasley clan would know. Which, of course, eliminated Molly. Luna was also out. She was in Argentina studying the _purple crested Patagonian wifflebee_ or some such nonsense. Finally it hit him like a Bludger to the gut. Harry hurried to the fireplace in the nursery. Thankfully he didn't need his wand to light a fire. When the flames flared, he risked taking a hand off Clare to quickly toss Floo powder in the fire and call out, "Narcissa Malfoy's residence."

Harry was surprised to see Narcissa's face appear in the flames almost immediately, rather than her house-elf, Jinxie. Quickly deciding he'd no time to worry about that, Harry opened his mouth to speak. Right then Clare let out an ear-shattering cry. 

Narcissa blinked twice then spoke sharply. "Lower the wards and step back. I'm coming through immediately."

In seconds the fire flared and Narcissa stepped into the room. She looked at Harry and raised an eyebrow. In a flash, he remembered he was only wearing pants…and rather bawdy ones at that. 

"Your daughter may not understand the message on your pants, Harry, but I'm seeing far more of my son-in-law than is necessary. Please hand me Clare and go find something to cover yourself."

Harry handed over the screaming child and then attempted to cover himself with his hands. "I can't get her to stop…"

At that moment, Narcissa picked a dummy up off the dresser and popped it into the baby's open mouth. Clare latched onto it and began to suck on it so fiercely, Harry wondered if there was some magical substance inside. 

"Oh," was all Harry could say at first. Then gaining some composure he tried again. "Well that worked. I think she's hungry and there's no formula mixed up. And she was screaming…" He trailed off, catching the tilt of Narcissa's head. "I'll just go find some clothes."

Narcissa nodded. "That sounds like an excellent idea. I'll just go see what I can do for this little princess."

Narcissa stepped into the hallway and stopped, apparently spotting the bottle carnage on the floor. She turned slowly back to Harry. It was obvious she was struggling not to laugh. "Well that explains a few things." 

Harry wanted to crawl into bed and pull the covers over his head. Instead he shrugged and winced. "Sort of forgot Draco told me never to _Accio_ a bottle from up here. Now I know why he was so insistent about it."

Narcissa merely walked out, calling over her shoulder. "It would be best if you dealt with that now before the formula settles into the carpet. And do remember you're a wizard, and use your wand. A nice strong _Scourgify_ should do the trick on the carpet and the wall."

Harry cleaned up the mess in the hallway. It took a couple of _Scourgify_ spells and then a general Cleaning Charm before the stain was off the wall and the scent of formula no longer lingered in the air. He hurried to the bedroom and finally found a fairly clean pair of joggers and a tee shirt to put on. 

Gathering up the clothing from his hamper, he went to the room they'd converted into a laundry room when they put the nursery together. It was a decision Harry was quite pleased with at the moment. He threw the clothes in the drum, shut the door and began to select the cycle and temperature. Realizing he'd stalled as long as he could, he pushed the button and the machine began to work. He knew it was time to go listen to Narcissa tell him what a failure he was as a father. And given the mess she'd walked in on, he really couldn't blame her.

HPDMHPDM

Narcissa Malfoy stood in Draco and Harry's kitchen, efficiently holding Clare in one arm and mixing formula with a few movements of her wand. She hummed to the little girl, looking down on her in adoration. She'd always wished she and Lucius had more than just Draco; she'd thought he might've had it easier if he weren't an only child. Maybe if they'd had a little girl, another child to take some of his attention, Lucius wouldn't have expected such perfection from Draco. She sighed a bit sadly and leaned down to inhale the scent of baby powder; nothing smelled as sweet as a baby. Footsteps sounded behind her and she turned in time to see Harry stop in the doorway. He was wearing a black tee shirt and a pair of gray joggers, and he'd clearly had his hands in his hair. Her son in law was one of the handsomest young men she'd ever seen, but that hair… she studied his face and saw him studying her with a perplexed look on his face, and smiled faintly.

"You always look so baffled to see me in the kitchen or the gardens. I suppose it does seem odd, but I'm so much happier now that I can do the things I enjoy, rather than simply the things that look proper for a pureblood of my _stature_. What a load of rot." His surprised expression amused her. "Oh, I'm sure you've figured out that warmer is a total loss. Not even a _Reparo_ will be able to mend it - so I suggest you use that internet you're so fond of and order a new one to be delivered post haste." She stopped for a moment and studied Harry. He no longer looked perplexed; he was looking at the floor as if someone had just kicked his Kneazle. "Harry whatever is wrong?" 

She looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want to hold her? I know it was your evening with her. But I do miss having a baby to hold so I'm afraid I get greedy when I have the opportunity." 

Harry shook his head. "No, it's not that. I love that you like to hold her. It's just…" He appeared to be struggling for the right words. "I'm afraid I'm a failure as a father, that's all." The words came tumbling out. "There, I've said it. You don't have to pretend. You can say it. Draco certainly will."

Narcissa took a long look at the crestfallen young man standing in front of her. He had vanquished a monster, he loved Draco as no one other than she had before in her son's life, and he'd help to give her the greatest gift of all; a beautiful grandchild. He was a force to be reckoned with at the Ministry and yet, right now he looked like a small, hopeless child himself. She crossed to him and leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. "You are no such thing. You're an amazing father. Both you and Draco are and yes, he'll tease you about being incompetent, but that's more of his own insecurities coming out. And for what it's worth, Lucius never made a bottle or changed a nappy. You're succeeding where it matters, Harry."

Harry blinked, his brilliant green eyes bright with tears. "Thank you, Narcissa. Although I'm not sure being compared to Lucius makes me feel better."

She laughed and it rang out in the room. "Well I suppose that's a point, but in this case it holds true. I honestly think Draco was over a year old before Lucius would be alone in the same room with him. Now I'm going to indulge myself for a few more minutes and rock Clare to sleep. You can put that pitcher of formula away and straighten the kitchen." 

Harry leaned over and tenderly kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Good night, Dumpling. Daddy loves you, even if he is a bit of a disaster."

Narcissa shook her head and took Clare up to the nursery. She came back down just as Harry was wiping down the counters. 

"Clare is asleep. I left the monitor on the tea table in the sitting room. On my way past, my nose led me to the mess on the sofa. I gather that was the reason for the charming pants you were wearing on my arrival." Harry blushed a charming bright red, and out of kindness, Narcissa ignored it. "At any rate, I have a very good upholstery cleaning spell, and I'm quite a dab hand at it if I do say so myself. Your sofa is now spotless, and smells much better."

"Thank you, Narcissa," Harry said, wringing the cloth and hanging it over the side of the sink. He turned to his mother in law, looking a bit chagrined. "I appreciate you... coming to my rescue."

She gave him a fond smile. "I appreciate you asking for my help. Draco does too, you know, although I doubt he tells you. Believe me, everyone needs a little help when it comes to raising children. It's not like they come with instruction manuals, after all." 

They walked together into the living room. Narcissa gave Harry a last smile, gently patting his cheek before she used the Floo to go back home.

HPDMHPDM

Once Narcissa left, Harry did a brief tour of the townhouse, seeing what a thorough job his mother in law had done of putting things to right. She'd even cleaned up their bedroom, which would have embarrassed him if he weren't so grateful. The entire place looked as if they'd had a cleaning service in, and all he'd done was a couple of loads of laundry. Finally he wandered back downstairs and sat on the couch, and was half watching a football match on the telly when he heard Clare begin to fuss through the monitor. Hoping to stave off another disaster, he hurried up the stairs and brought her back down with him. She was still mostly asleep, but it was if she sensed her Papa wasn't there and she was restive, and squirmy. Harry remembered how being held against his bare chest had quieted her. Yawning, he pulled his shirt off over his head and laid down on the couch, Clare on his chest. She snuffled a few times, shifted her little body against him and went back to sleep. It wasn't long before he joined her.

HPDMHPDM

Pansy slipped her hand through the crook of Draco's elbow as they walked slowly to the Port Key office for this part of Paris. The early evening air smelled divine, as it only could in Paris, and people who passed them as they sauntered down a cobblestone street murmured in French, Draco sighed. Gods, he loved Paris, loved France, and as soon as their daughter was old enough to leave with someone for a few days he wanted to bring Harry with him, to show him why he loved it so. They'd spent four days here on their honeymoon, but even then Harry was called back early, to deal with some Auror crisis or other that only he could solve. Thinking about Harry, and Clare made Draco's anxiety return.

"Stop thinking about it," Pansy ordered. "I could tell the precise moment Potter entered your head. Without you saying a word, I can feel the tension returning to your body."

"I'm not thinking about… anything," Draco lied. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Pansy rolled her eyes expansively. "Oh, of course you aren't. Just a clue for future reference; your voice goes higher when you're tense."

"What?" Draco cried, then realized he was proving her point when he heard his voice echo back to him. Ordinarily his voice was on the lower side of tenor, dropped to baritone when he and his husband were in bed, but at the moment it had a shrill alto quality. He reached across his body to pinch the back of her hand. "You're a horrible cunt."

"Ouch. Causing me pain will not help you, you know." She elbowed him sharply in the ribs, and he grunted. "Now, let's stop injuring one another and go see the chaos your pretty other half has created in your absence."

Draco looked down at her and opened his mouth, and she shook her head.

"Don't even think about it, darling. I know you're trying desperately to make some excuse so I don't get to see, but you should know me better than that by now. I simply _must_. It will be delightfully encouraging to see that the saviour of us all actually does have limitations."

"Pansy," Draco hedged. "I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, please recall that I do have to live with the man, and I like sex." She giggled, and it sounded so youthful Draco was reminded of the many years they'd been friends. He squeezed her arm fondly. "Seriously, sweetheart, he does have his pride."

"Oh, just blame me," she said with a breezy laugh. "Tell him I insisted on coming with you. It won't even be a lie."

A creeping sensation of dread made Draco's muscles tighten, so much even he noticed. Pansy sighed. 

"Stop it. I will not let you spoil my fun. Now, man up, dear. If you could carry a baby, you can deal with your husband being called out as human. And, here we are."

"Wait." 

She turned to Draco, lips pursed, all but stomping her little stiletto clad foot. "Yes?"

"I will let you go with me on one condition; you will not, under any circumstances, repeat it to the Slytherin cadre. If you do, I will not be forgiving. And you know just how very sorry I can make you; am I clear?"

She pouted. "Not even Blaise?"

" _Especially_ not Blaise. That tart would blab to everyone, starting with his bloody mother."

She sighed. "Fine. Spoil sport."

Draco gave one self satisfied nod. "Good. Then I don't have to tell Mummy how much little Pansy has convinced Daddy to add to her trust fund in the last six months."

She gave him an outraged glare. "And you called _me_ a cunt."

"If the Jimmy Choo's fit, dearest." 

He pulled her into the Port Key office. After a very short wait, they stepped onto the departure platform and before she could say another word, they were whisked into swirling space, ending the conversation. They landed in the park across from their townhouse. Hurrying across the street, they stealthily entered the entry. It was completely quiet and the echoing silence surprised him. Frankly, he'd been expecting to arrive home to his daughter doing her best impersonation of a banshee, and he was almost alarmed by how the house was eerily silent.

"Should it be this quiet?" Pansy whispered, and Draco glared at her despite the fact he'd been thinking exactly the same thing.

"If she's asleep, yes," he hissed back. He walked down the hall, steps echoing softly, leaning forward as he turned the corner into their sitting room. The room was spotless, not even a magazine out of place, and the onesie he'd left on the tea table after Clare's afternoon change was even gone. He caught a hint of the scent of housekeeping spells, but it was so subtle he doubted Pansy noticed. There was a fire burning brightly in the fireplace, logs popping cheerfully on the hearth, and the enormous monstrosity of a telly hanging above the mantle was dark. That in and of itself was unusual; if Harry was home, the damned thing was usually on. (Draco watched it a lot when he was home alone with Clare, too, but he'd die before he admitted it out loud.) Disarmed by the quiet, and the dark, Draco might've missed his husband's long, lean body lying on the beige linen sofa if Pansy hadn't dug her long nails into his arm.

"Jesus, what the hell?" He gave her a hard look, but she wasn't looking at him at all. He followed the direction of her gaze, and that was when he finally saw Harry lying on his back, his face turned toward the fireplace, the tiny baby cradled on his bare chest, her head tucked under his chin. She was sound asleep, a dummy between her limp lips, and she looked so small on the expanse of tawny skin, nestled against even, curling black chest hair and well-defined muscles. Just the sight of them, his husband and his child, caused a conflicting series of emotions; love, so all-encompassing as to be painful, tenderness for his baby and abrupt arousal for the handsome, sleeping man cradling her with such clear tenderness. It was a welcome feeling; it wasn't like they hadn't had sex since she was born, but his desire for it was somewhat hit and miss. Right then, he wanted to throw Pansy into the Floo and jump Harry on the couch.

"I hate you so much right now," Pansy muttered. Draco's lips curled in a smug smirk. 

"Don't you just," he murmured back. "I told you."

And he had, in as much as he was willing to tell her anything about Harry's body. He'd told her he was sensational looking, and there was the proof of his words, lean frame, muscles on his chest and stomach clear even when he was sound asleep. Draco's eyes caressed his narrow hips and the bulge between his long, casually spread thighs. 

"Merlin's springy pubes," Pansy whispered harshly, "is the man really hung like that, or does he just have enormous bollocks?"

"Okay, that will be quite enough of that." Draco caught her arm and pulled her back into the entry hall. "Time for you to go."

"Oh, come on," she complained, pulling from his grip. "You've always told me how your fucks were hung. I could basically go back in there and do a measurement with my fingers."

"Only if you desire to draw back bloody stumps, you whore. That is mine, every inch of him," he arched his brows meaningfully, "and you know I don't share."

She stared at him, her expression a combination of awe and dumbfounded surprise. "Dear Lord, you actually do love him."

Draco was shocked by that. "Of course I do. I told you that, Pansy. I told you I was in love with him."

"You did." Her surprise faded into an almost tender smile. "But you have to admit; I've heard that from you before."

He shook his head, closing his eyes against a rush of throat thickening emotion. "Not like this; never like this."

"So I see."

He opened his eyes to find her still studying him, almost as if she'd never seen him before. After a waiting moment, she grinned and went up onto her toes, kissing him on the cheek. 

"All right," she announced brightly, "I'm out. Have fun shtupping handsome in there. Think of me when you come."

"I will not." Draco gave her a stern look. 

"No, you won't have a live brain cell left by the time he's done with you, if he's doing it right. All right, fine, you hateful wanker, don't think of me. But Floo me tomorrow with some of the sexy details."

Draco shook his head. "I can't for the life of me think why I love you."

She pressed her cheek against his. "No, but you do."

He pulled her into a quick hug. "You're right; I do. Now leave."

She stepped back, gave him perhaps the cheekiest grin he'd ever seen on her pug-nosed face, and disappeared. 

Draco walked quietly back into the sitting room, allowing himself several long moments to study his husband once again. He really was so lovely, Draco thought, placing his arms on the back of the couch and leaning forward. When they'd been younger, and oh so very stupid, they'd nearly killed one another. Looking at Clare, with her dark messy hair that he secretly adored, he realized again how close they'd come to losing this, losing each other. How tragic that would have been, for all of them. 

Harry made a soft, inarticulate noise and shifted, his big hands curling around Clare's small body before his long thick lashes fluttered, and he blinked his eyes open. He checked to see if the baby was still asleep, then became aware of Draco leaning on the back of the couch, watching him. The delight that filled his green eyes was the most flattering thing Draco had seen in a very long time. 

"Hey," Harry whispered, his sleepy smile so sexy it made Draco's cock twitch. 

"Hey, yourself." Draco leaned further forward to look into Clare's face. She was sound asleep. "Would you like me to take her up?"

"I can do it." Harry started to sit up, one hand cradling the back of her head and the other spread on her bum, but Draco reached down to touch his shoulder, shaking his head.

"It's my turn for cuddle time, Mr Selfish." He softened the teasing words by stroking his hand down over Harry's bicep. "So, what is this with the partial nudity?"

Harry chuckled. "Remember when she was born?"

Draco gave him an incredulous look, then rolled his eyes. "Vaguely, yes." He'd been awake for the whole process. It had been very weird, feeling the Healer poking about, then lifting the squalling baby into the air above a suddenly much flatter stomach. 

"Okay, smart arse," Harry whispered. "I just remembered that the Healer put her on your bare chest when she was first born, and how it seemed to soothe her. It worked, too, if you'll notice."

"If it did, she's a very confused child. I am not a hairy beast, unlike you." He slid his index finger down Harry's chest next to Clare's hand, allowing a few of the springy black strands to curl around the tip. "Although I suppose I can see the appeal. It is a bit like curling up with a large balding dog."

"Oh, gee thanks," Harry said with a quelling look. His voice had been slightly louder, and Clare twitched, rubbing her nose on Harry's chest. 

"Don't wake her," Draco scolded, coming around the couch. He lifted her gently from Harry's arms, and she seemed to melt into his arms. "There's my princess," he whispered. "Daddy's back." He lifted her and brushed his lips over her forehead. "Did you miss me?"

"Yeah, she did," Harry said, lifting onto his elbows. He started to sit up, and Draco gave him a quashing look.

"Of course she did," he said. "And _you_ stay right there. I have plans for you."

Harry's eyes brightened with interest and amusement. "Yes, sir." He whipped off a snappy salute, then pillowed his hands behind his head and smiled up at Draco. 

"I'll be right back." 

He curled his arms around the baby and started up the stairs, cooing softly. He was almost to the landing and had turned to climb higher when he noticed a small dent in the expensive wallpaper. Stopping, he came back down a step and saw that beneath that tell-tale dent, there appeared to be a wet spot trailing down the wall toward the first floor. It had been skilfully cleaned, and there probably wasn't another person alive who would notice it, but Draco had searched for months for this exact paper in this precise colour, and he knew each gradation and change in the subtle pattern. How very odd, he thought; he couldn't imagine what had made the mess, but he'd be having a conversation with his husband, that was certain. 

Clare immediately settled into her crib with a soft sigh. Draco turned on the night light shaped like a fairy with her wings spread, and picked up the baby monitor. 

"Good night, little love," he whispered, leaving the door opened to a crack. 

Harry was still right where he'd left him, his eyes once again closed, and Draco set the monitor on the tea table. He fastidiously turned the small picture screen away, then toed off his boots and hiked his expensive robes up around his hips. Gracefully he lifted his long, pale leg and straddled his husband, settling lightly on Harry's groin, the bulge at the apex of his thighs coming to rest just beneath Draco's balls.

Harry started, his eyes flying open. When Draco settled more snugly atop him, Harry slid his hands up under the bulky fabric of the formal robes, curling his fingers over Draco's sharp hipbones, covered only in the thin black silk of his pricey pants.

"Huh," Harry said, his soft voice a little rough from disuse. "I thought you might've gone commando under here." He traced his thumb just above the waistband of the boxer's, caressing the soft skin of Draco's lower belly. 

Draco leaned forward, one hand braced on the armrest. "No, dearie," he said, affecting a Scottish brogue. "Does Malfoy sound like a Scottish name ta yee?"

"No, actually. Not really. But don't wizards go balls out under these things, too?"

Draco arched an eyebrow. "Only if they want to give said balls a nip of frostbite, which I'd prefer not to do. It's cold out there tonight." He shifted sensuously on Harry's groin, enjoying the keen arousal that flared in Harry's eyes, and the way his fingers slid just barely into Draco's waistband, short nails skimming his skin.

"Is Clare asleep?" Harry murmured. He tried to lift, his mouth aiming for Draco's throat, but Draco put his palm on Harry's forehead and pushed him back down. Harry grunted and looked up at him in surprise.

"Draco?"

"Just enjoy the ride, husband of mine," he crooned. "Who knew a man who did housework could be so sexy."

Harry gave a startled laugh, then gasped when Draco rolled his hips in a slow rhythm, forward and then back. Harry's prick plumped beneath Draco's arse, and a lovely, deep arousal made his balls ache. 

"I'm going for a ride?" Harry asked, voice breathless.

"Oh, yes you are." Draco propped his hands against Harry's pectoral muscles, curling his long fingers in the chest hair that swirled in a beautiful pattern from his neck, out around his nipples, not so thick he looked like a Yeti, but abundant enough to matter. It tapered in to a narrower path as it trailed down his hard stomach, until only a slender line of black hair curled around his navel and then down into his joggers. Draco was obsessed with Harry's body hair, having so little of his own, and his fingers stroked slowly down his hard belly.

"Are you petting me?" Harry asked, pressing his hips up into Draco's touch.

"Are you complaining?" Draco smiled down at him, rotating his pelvis again, fingers lifting to pinch Harry's nipples. Harry gasped, head dropping back, and Draco leaned down and nipped at his Adam's apple. 

"No, not complaining. Gods, Draco," Harry rasped. He was fully hard now, and Draco caressed his length with slow thrusts, forward and back. Harry reached around him and sank his fingers into the hard muscles of his arse, pulling him down harder, and now it was Draco's turn to gasp.

"Yes, that," Draco said, biting the side of Harry's throat, right where his neck turned toward his shoulder. Harry cried out, his hands sliding into the silk pants and cupping Draco's arse cheeks, pulling him more fully onto his erection. He lifted his hips into each thrust, and within moments they were moving against one another in sensual purpose, a common goal in mind. Before Clare's birth, and the nine months preceding it, Harry and Draco had screwed enthusiastically and often. Their friends had often teased they fucked like rabbits, but a certain amount of morning sickness and the discomfort that being a man carrying a baby caused had put a damper on their love life. Now, it had been long enough without any impromptu sex at all that they were both pretty much ready to go off like sixteen-year olds with their first dry hump.

Draco kissed Harry deeply, his tongue slipping between Harry's teeth, and when Harry sucked it further into his mouth and wrapped his arms around Draco's waist, Draco moaned into his mouth. Their kisses turned sloppy and the rhythm more frantic, then broke entirely when Draco shocked himself by coming first and so hard his eyes rolled back. Moments later Harry groaned and stiffened, and Draco felt the warmth of his spend against his balls, shocking him with another, smaller but no less potent orgasm. Harry sloppily kissed his mouth, then his neck as Draco slowly relaxed and collapsed on Harry's chest. It was several minutes before their breathing returned to anything like normal.

"Well that was something we've not done in a while," Harry murmured. 

"I'm fairly certain we had sex just the other day," Draco replied, pinching Harry's nipple.

"Ouch! No need for violence. I was referring to coming in our pants."

Draco shifted and then winced. "Right, and now I remember why I prefer to be naked. I'm too knackered to find my wand to clean up." He'd no sooner said the words when he felt the sharp tingle of a _Cleansing Charm_ rush over him, followed by the distinct scent of lemons. 

"A bit of warning please," Draco grumbled, "the bits are a tender area and need a soft hand."

"I thought you liked it when your bits were hard," Harry said with a laugh. 

They lie together, enjoying the quiet and the time to be just themselves, not parents, just lovers. Finally, Harry shifted under Draco. "We really do need to move. I love being close to you but do prefer fewer pieces of clothing being involved."

"I'll move in a minute. I can't be arsed to stand at that moment," Draco said sleepily. "Just want to tell you I appreciate that you cleaned up so well." He sniffed. "Even the couch smells fresh. But I do have to ask what happened to the wall at the top of the stairs."

Harry stiffened beneath Draco. "It needed a bit of a wash."

Draco sat up slowly, then shifted to his feet. "Why do I feel like I'm not going to like this story as much as I liked the last few minutes?"

Harry swung his feet so he was sitting and pulled Draco down to sit by his side. "Well it's a bit of a funny story really." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well you see, it's like this…"

He told Draco the whole story. Starting with Clare getting sick on the couch, to the total disaster of a shower. He even admitted to calling for Narcissa to come help him and how she'd seen him in nothing but those dreadful pants from Seamus. The entire time Harry stared at the floor. It wasn't easy to admit being such a failure to his nearly perfect spouse. 

"Then you came in and you know the rest." He heard a noise at his side and looked over to see Draco. His face beet-red. "Don't be mad, I know I screwed it up."

Draco let out an explosive breath and fell into peels of laughter. "You called…" he struggled for air, "my mother…" another gasp of breath, "in those hideous pants from Finnigan!" He had tears in his eyes from laughing. "Merlin's saggy nut-sack, Potter. She may never recover. You know they show _everything _, right?"__

__Harry dropped his head in his hands. "Oh yeah. She didn't hesitate to…well point that out."_ _

__Draco collapsed into laughter again, and Harry sat miserably at his side, Finally, he reached over and took both of Harry's hands. "Look at me." When Harry didn't turn, Draco gave him a tug. "Harry, look at me." He raised Harry's hands to his lips and kissed them tenderly. "You didn't screw up. Although admittedly giving my mother a _show_ might have been uncalled for. But that's beside the point. Not every day here is all happy baby and sunshine. There are days when Clare cries non-stop. I haven't told you about them because I didn't want you to think I couldn't do the whole _stay at home parent thing_. Those are the days when I call my mother to come and hold Clare so I can shower or go stand in the garden until I don't want to scream."_ _

__"Why didn't you say?" Harry wondered._ _

__"Well, much like you did tonight. I wanted you to see that I was capable. That I was a good father, a good man."_ _

__Harry leaned in until their foreheads touched. "We're really a pair, aren't we?"_ _

__"We are, but we're in this together. Maybe we'll do it a bit better if we don't think we have to be perfect."_ _

__Harry's hand came up to caress Draco's face. "I love you.”_ _

__“And I love you.” Draco turned his head and kissed Harry's palm._ _

__"Errr, would this be a good time to tell you the bottle warmer is in the bin and a new one won't be here for three days?" Harry asked._ _

__Draco shifted. "Only if it's also a good time to tell you Pansy came in the house with me and understands exactly _how_ lucky I am. Those joggers are nearly as disreputable as those pants my mother saw you in."_ _

__Harry rolled his eyes, but shifted to kiss Draco. A snuffling sound came from the monitor and they both froze. They sat a breath's distance apart until the noise seemed to settle. Closing the space their lips touched. And the snuffling became an instant wail._ _

__Harry sat back. "Is it my turn or yours?"_ _

__Draco stood and held out a hand. "How about we do it together?"_ _

__Harry smiled, but pulled his hand away once he was on his feet. "I like that, but I'll go get the bottle ready. You go cuddle her. I think she missed you."_ _

__Harry watched for a moment as Draco went gracefully up the stairs, then turned and walked to the kitchen with a slight smile._ _

__They might not have all the answers, but he knew they'd find them together._ _

____

Finis

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please show the author your appreciation in a comment and by leaving kudos below. ♥
> 
> This story is part of the on-going and anonymous H/D Mpreg fest. The author will be revealed June 21st.


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